Our Little Year

A whole-year calendar for kids, to print and hang on the wall

The whole year on one poster: days lined up one after another, a colour for each season, and the birthdays of the people they love. It helps young children see time passing. Free, as a PDF, ready in a minute.

Make your calendar
Sample 2027 year calendar: 365 tiles in a row coloured by season, past days crossed off, birthdays marked with icons.
A sample printed on 3 portrait A4 sheets side by side: the dashed lines are where they join.

How it works, and why

  1. The whole year in a row

    One day, one tile, from 1 January to 31 December. It reads row by row, like a book: no pages to turn, no months cut in pieces.

  2. A cross every evening

    Cross off the day that has passed. Children see how much time has gone by and can find today at a glance.

  3. "How long until…?"

    A birthday has its own icon and the age they turn. To know how long is left, just count the tiles to the cake.

  4. Colour means season

    Blue, green, yellow, orange. The colour changes on the exact day of the equinox or solstice, marked with a flower, a sun, a leaf or a snowflake.

  5. The first of the month stands out

    A solid tile with the month name splits the ribbon into twelve parts you can spot at a glance, even before you can read.

Where it comes from

I designed this calendar for my own children when they were three, and I've printed it and hung it at home every year since. Each morning we find today, count the days to the next birthday and watch summer get closer. I turned my spreadsheet into this tool so anyone can use it.

Read the guide: helping young children understand time →

How to print it

At home, on A4 sheets

The recommended format is 3 portrait A4 sheets side by side: the calendar comes out at about 57 × 28 cm. Or use 4 sheets in a square (about 55 × 38 cm). Each sheet has a dashed line: cut along it and overlap it onto the previous sheet with a little glue or tape.

At a print shop, in one piece

Pick A2, A1 or 70 × 50 cm and take the PDF to a print shop or an online printer. The file is vector-based, so it stays sharp at any size.

Questions

Is it really free?

Yes. No sign-up, no subscription, no watermark.

Where do the names and dates I type go?

Nowhere: the PDF is made in your browser and your data stays on your device. You can save it to a file to rebuild next year's calendar.

What age is it for?

From about 3, when children start asking "how long until…?". Icons help those who can't read yet; later they learn the days of the week and the months.

Why does spring start on 20 March?

Because the calendar uses the astronomical date of the equinox, which changes from year to year. In 2027 spring starts on 20 March.

Can I add holidays from another country?

For now there are the UK, the US and Italy. You can switch off the holidays you don't need and add your own dates.